Rosedale Elementary School

A new K-6 school designed by Mahlum Architects could be the first in the Hillsboro School District to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified.

Located on a 9-acre site in southern Hillsboro, the $15.9 million Rosedale Elementary School is targeting LEED silver certification. Scheduled for completion this fall, the two-story, 74,100-square-foot building will serve 600 students.

The building is oriented east-west to let in more even north-south light in the classrooms; windows comprise about 30 percent of the exterior walls. Two-wings separate the building: one on the south will house 25 classrooms, administrative offices and a media center; one on the north will contain a gym, a music room, a covered play area, and space for mechanical services. A glass-walled student commons area will connect the two wings. Constructed of tilt-up concrete walls, the structure has a thermal envelope with both rigid and batt insulation with an air space for thermal separation. Added insulation in the walls and high-efficiency heat recovery and cooling systems will make the school 28 percent more energy efficient than a building of similar size that meets the energy code minimum.

Rainwater from the school’s roof will be collected in a courtyard between the two wings of the school through the use of downspouts. The water will be visibly directed through trench drains and splash blocks to an infiltration planter water treatment system. Collected in a 25,000-gallon harvest tank, the water will be used for irrigating the school’s landscaping. Other water-saving features include low-flow water fixtures and dual-flush toilets, which will make the school’s water use 30 percent lower than code for a building its size.

Other project team members include structural engineer KPFF Consulting Engineers, mechanical and plumbing engineer PAE Consulting Engineers, civil engineer and landscape architect WRG Design, electrical engineer Interface Engineering, and sustainable design consultant Brightworks. Robinson Construction is the general contractor for the project and Cornerstone Construction Management is the project manager.